Sunburn
by Cherry Blossom
Summary: Duo's got a sunburn. Can Heero make it all better? Warning: shounen ai and sappy fluff. Please Read and Review. ^__^


"Itaii

Cherry Blossom: Well, seeing the success I got with Making Heero Human, I decided to try my hand at another DuoxHeero story. 

Heero: Noooooooooooooooo!

Duo: Yay! ^__^ Do I get to kiss him?

Heero: -_-

Cherry Blossom: Yes.

Duo: Whoo hoo! What about a lemon? Do I get that?

Heero: O.o

Cherry Blossom: …we'll see.

Duo: Yippe!

Heero: O.o Save me.

Warnings: Don't worry this isn't a lemon. But it _is_ shounen ai so if you don't like that kind of thing leave the fic now. I repeat: this fic contains male/male relationships. If you don't want to see that then leave now. I will not accept flames along the lines of " u are sick. Heero is not GAY u sicko. DIE." Because I find them utterly stupid. You have been warned.

Disclaimer: Does anyone even read these things anymore? Are you really that anal? Oh fine, I don't own GW. Happy?

Sunburn

"Itaii!" Duo hissed, twisting to get a better look at himself in the mirror. The image was about the same as usual: wide indigo eyes set in a delicate heart-shaped face, framed by a cluster of spiky chestnut bangs that led to a three foot long braid carelessly tossed over one shoulder. But there was a significant difference in the lean, wiry body that was reflected back at him. Where the skin was once milky white it was now an angry lobster red. Duo was sunburnt.

His back, shoulders, legs…all were sunburnt and all hurt like hell.

__

Damn, Duo thought, _this was me and Heero's only vacation time and I had to go and screw it up by getting a sunburn on the first day. Stupid, stupid, stupid…_

Anxiously, Duo lifted his arms a little, wincing in pain when the tight and reddened skin protested at the movement. Except for where his bathing shorts covered, there was no place that Duo was not sunburnt. 

"Stupid sun," Duo muttered. "Ruining my vacation with its stupid rays…"

"You can't blame the sun for your own stupidity," said a flat, monotone voice behind him. Duo spun and then let out a whimper at the sudden flare up of pain that consumed his body.

"Heero!"

The shorthaired boy calmly came up beside Duo and inspected the sunburn clinically.

"I _told_ you to reapply your sunscreen after you went in the water, but you didn't listen. And then I _told_ you to stay out of the sun and put a shirt on but you refused to listen to that as well. This is nobody's fault but your own."

"Gee, thanks for your sympathy," Duo retorted bitterly, holding back a gasp when the tip of his braid brushed his sore shoulders.

Heero regarded him intently for a minute. 

__

He is such a baka and this is his own fault that this happened…but I can't stand to watch him suffer for long. Those big blue eyes'll be the death of me someday.

"Take your shorts off," Heero commanded. "I'll draw you a nice cool bath."

Then he promptly left for the bathroom. In a couple of seconds Duo heard the distinct sound of running water. 

"Yes sir," Duo muttered, rolling his eyes.

He sat down carefully on the bed and tried unsuccessfully to remove the article of clothing without touching any of his skin. Every movement, every merest brush hurt like damnation and soon Duo was writhing on the bed, exhausted and frustrated to the point of tears.

When Heero walked back into the room he found Duo still sprawled out on the bed, shorts still half on. Sighing, Heero went over to the boy and slid his hands carefully into the waistband of Duo's swim trunks. 

"Baka," he murmured as he stretched the elastic and eased it the rest of the way down Duo's legs, careful not to touch the swollen red skin at any point. When the task was finally complete, Heero tossed the shorts to the floor and gently pulled Duo to his feet. 

"Come on," he said. "You'll feel better after a cool soak."

He led Duo to the bathroom where the tub sat, brimming with clear, cool water. 

"Can you get in yourself?"

Duo looked offended. "Of course I can! I'm not a baby, Yuy!"

Heero snorted and stood away from Duo, letting him climb slowly into the tub by himself. "You could have fooled me."

"I heard that!"

"You were supposed to, baka."

Duo glared and then eased himself down into the water, resting his head uneasily against the cool porcelain of the tub. He closed his eyes and sighed. A look of concern crossed Heero's face.

"How do you feel?"

Duo's mouth twisted into a wry smile. "Like a pig roasted on a barbecue. I'm just about charbroiled…ah!" Duo squirmed as another flash of pain lanced through his body.

Heero frowned and then said, "You're probably dehydrated. You should lie down after you've soaked for a bit. I'll go prepare your bed." And with that, Heero was gone.

Duo stayed still, letting the cool water soothe and heal his burnt skin. The bath was helping immensely and although the pain was still great, at least it didn't throb whenever he moved now.

__

Heero must think I'm such a moron. _Now both our vacations are ruined because he's spending time taking care of stupid old me instead of having fun like he's _supposed_ to be doing. If I hadn't been such a baka…_

Duo closed his eyes again and wished for nothing more in the world than to just sink into the cool liquid that surrounded him and never have to come up again. 

"Duo…"

Duo's eyes fluttered open to see cobalt blue eyes watching him intently. 

"You've soaked long enough," Heero said, holding out a hand to assist Duo from the water. Duo took his hand reluctantly and allowed himself to be pulled out of the bath and patted down gently with a soft white towel. The cold breeze on his hot skin created gooseflesh and he shivered.

Heero led Duo out into the bedroom and said, "Lay down. I'll get you a cold drink. You need to replenish your fluids."

Duo crawled onto the cool cotton sheets, trying to find a position to lay on that didn't hurt terribly. There wasn't one. Settling for laying half on his stomach and half on his side, Duo closed his eyes again and tried to fall asleep. His head pounded noisily and he could feel a headache coming on.

__

I'm such an idiot. Why don't I ever listen? Heero told_ me not to stay out too late in the sun but I refused to take his advice, just because it came from him. What kind of a boyfriend am I if I won't even listen to my lover's suggestions? And now he's going to be mad because I've ruined everything. I'm useless._

Duo sighed miserably and turned his head towards the wall. He was almost asleep when he felt a cool hands brush his cheek. Duo opened his eyes to see Heero holding out an ice-filled glass of something pink, lemonade or fruit juice perhaps. Duo accepted the glass gratefully and drank all the contents greedily, feeling considerably better then before, not so lightheaded. 

"Thanks Hee-chan," Duo smiled.

"Baka," Heero replied, but he said it mildly and the corners of his mouth twitched in the barest hint of a smile. Then he reached over and opened a drawer beside the bed, rummaging around in its contents until he found what he was looking for. "There," he brought forth a small tube.

Duo's eyes widened when he saw the tube and he let out a little squeak of surprise. "Erm…Heero? I'm flattered really but I don't think I'm uh…up for that…"

Heero frowned and took a closer look at the tube in his hand. The label displayed proudly in big letters: Red Hot Edible Lube: Cinnamon Flavored for your ultimate pleasure! Heero's eyes widened just a fraction and his face went as red as Duo's sunburn.

"I grabbed the wrong tube you baka!" he snapped, throwing the lube back into the drawer and searching around again for the after-sun lotion.

"Suuure ya did, Hee-chan," Duo teased. "I thought that the Perfect Soldier would be able to control his hormones a bit better, hmm?"

"Duo…" Heero warned, finally finding the right tube.

"I mean, I know I'm irresistible and all that…"

"_Duo_."

"But you'd think you'd have a little more self-control—" here Duo paused to spit braid out of his mouth.

"Shut up and hold still," Heero ordered, squeezing a good amount of lotion onto his hands and then placing them on the small of Duo's back.

"I really hate when you do that," Duo muttered, but he held still as Heero spread the white cream all over his hurting body, feeling the sting slowly fade into a dull ache that was at least bearable. Duo sighed and closed his eyes, reveling in the feeling of Heero's cool hands caressing and soothing his hot skin. Guilt surfaced and rose in Duo's throat, choking him.

__

He's so nice to me. Why is he being so nice to me when I'm such a baka? I've ruined everything now and he has to take care of me like a little baby and my skin's all red and ugly now and in a few days it'll be peeling_ and ugly and Heero'll never want to touch me again and he probably _hates_ me now! What kind of a koi am I? I never listen to Heero, I tease him, insult him, make fun of him, I mess up his work, I bother him, I'm never on time, I'm loud and annoying and stupid and I wouldn't be surprised if he left me! _

At that thought, one silent tear trickled down the side of Duo's cheek. Heero saw the tear and paused, leaning over to cup his koi's cheek gently.

"What's wrong," he asked, "am I hurting you?"

Duo shook his head and bit his lip, angry at himself for letting Heero see him cry.

"Then what?" Heero asked, becoming worried.

Duo shook his head again, refusing to speak. Heero was just about to demand an answer when a knock at the door interrupted him and a familiar voice called out.

"Heero? Duo? Are you there?"

Duo wiped away his tears quickly and fixed a grin on his face. "In here Quatre! The door's open, c'mon inside."

Heero glared at Duo and shot him a look that said, _We'll talk about this later._

Not if I can help it, Duo replied mentally, turning to smile at the blond Arabian who had just come through the doorway.

Hi guys, I just…oh!" Quatre blushed bright red as he saw Duo's present state of…undress. "I didn't know I was interrupting something. I'll just come back later…"

"No no, Quatre! It's not what you think. Heero was just helping put lotion on my sunburn."

Heero rolled his eyes and handed Duo a towel to cover his midsection. 

"Baka," he said.

Duo stuck a tongue out at him and wrapped the towel around his waist. Quatre stayed in the room but his blush did not disappear and he came over to stand beside Heero.

"Wow, Duo that looks painful! I'm so sorry, I should have warned you about the high sun risk today."

Duo grinned a grin that was more of a grimace and shook his head. "It's nobody's fault but my own Q-man. But, what brings you all the way down here?"

Quatre smiled. "I just wanted to know if you were coming with us to the big dinner party tonight. There's going to be a floorshow and dancing and a huge buffet! Everyone else is coming, even Wufei!"

Duo blinked. "Wufei? How'd you get that party pooper away from his precious meditation?"

"Sally threatened to poke his eyes out with a meat fork if he didn't accompany her. He was scared," Quatre grinned.

"I would be too," Duo remarked, impressed.

"So, are you coming?"

Duo shifted on the bed and winced a bit. "Sorry Q-man but I don't really feel up to doing anything tonight but sleeping."

"Oh of course," Quatre gushed. "I understand. You're probably dehydrated. You need your rest. But what about you, Heero? Do you want to come?"

Heero shook his head, ignoring the murderous glares Duo was shooting him. "I'm going to stay in and take care of Duo. Tell the others I said "hi"."

Quatre sighed and headed towards the door. "All right, I tell them. Good bye Heero. Good bye Duo. I hope you're feeling better tomorrow."

With that, Quatre walked out the door, leaving Heero and Duo alone once more. Heero turned back to Duo to find him still glaring furiously at him.

"What?" Heero asked.

"Why didn't you go with him? This is your vacation for God's sake! You should be out having _fun_," Duo snapped, waving his hands in the air.

Heero frowned, puzzled. "What _are_ you talking about? What's your problem?"

"My problem is you!" Duo blew up. "You're always treating me like a baby that can't do things for himself. Oh, always have to look out for Duo. Poor, stupid little Duo who can't even bathe himself properly. Well I'm tired of having you hover around me like a mother hen all the time, Heero! I'm sick of tired of you interfering with my life! I don't need you Heero! Got it? I. Don't. Need. You."

When Duo finished his rant, Heero sat, stunned. Emotions shifted across his face: confusion, hurt, anger, and then concern. He bent down beside Duo and looked straight into his eyes, saying quietly, "What's the real issue here?"

That did it. The dam broke. Duo's eyes watered uncontrollably and he pushed Heero away.

"Goddammit!" he sobbed furiously. "Why can't you just be _mean_ to me?"

Heero was astounded. "You want me to be mean to you," he repeated flatly.

"_Yes!_" Duo shouted.

"Why?"

"Because I _deserve_ it! Damn it, Heero this was our last vacation for _months_ and I ruined it by not listening to you and getting a sunburn and making you stay here and take care of me even though you should be out having fun—"

"Duo…"

"I _never_ listen to you! I'm a stupid baka who can't do anything right and you must be getting sick and tired of all my whining and messing up and I'm not a suitable koi for you—"

"_Duo."_

"I'm always teasing you and making you do thing you don't wanna do and I'm loud and rude and stupid and now I'm all red and ugly and you'll never want to touch me ever again and I _deserve_ it because you're such a nice caring person and I've _ruined_ everything—"

Once again, Duo found himself spitting braid out of his mouth.

"Shut up and listen to me," Heero said. "Now I don't know where you got the idea that you've ruined our whole vacation. I didn't come on this trip to go to stupid parties or dances. I came so I could be with you. And I'm taking care of you because I _love_ you, not because I somehow feel obligated. There is absolutely _no way_ you could ever think that you're ugly because even a blind man could see that you're the most beautiful creature ever to walk this earth. And I don't know how you could have ever gotten the idea that you're not a suitable koi for me when _you're_ the only one that makes me smile, _you're_ the only one that makes me feel human again, and _you're_ the only one that sees inside the real me." Heero paused to cup one of Duo's cheeks carefully with his palm. "I love _you_. Just the way you are. So don't you dare change yourself to suit me, Duo Maxwell. These past few months have been the happiest of my entire life because _you've_ been there with me. I love you more then I've even loved _anything_ and don't you forget that."

Heero finished his speech and looked expectantly at Duo. He just sat there, stunned by the revelations the other boy had just put forth. Heero had _never_ spoken that much to him, _ever_. Maybe Heero had gotten a little too much sun as well? Bu Duo wasn't about to argue with him. If Heero was happy here with Duo, then Duo would do whatever it took to keep him that way.

"Thank you, Heero," Duo murmured, reaching his hands up to clasp around his koi's neck.

Mystified, Heero placed his own hands lightly around Duo's waist, careful not to hurt him. "For what?" he asked.

"For just being you," Duo replied, tipping his head up just a bit to capture his koi's lips, tasting the strawberry sweetness that was Heero's special flavor. When they parted, panting for breath, Duo smiled a wicked little smile and looked at Heero through half-slitted eyes.

"You know Heero," he began innocently, "there's one part of my body that _didn't_ get sunburnt."

Heero's eye brow arched playfully. "Oh really?" he said. "Well I'll just have to concentrate my attentions on that for a while, won't I?" 

Once again, Heero reached inside the drawer and brought forth a small tube. The after-sun lotion sat abandoned on the dresser drawer as the two lovers tried their hardest to prove that love could overcome _any_ discomfort.

Owari.

Cherry Blossom: Well…that seemed to go okay.

Melpomene: A little too mushy if you ask me. ::grumbles::

Matteo: Aw, it was fine. Plus you got a little angst in there as well.

Melpomene: Well of course, that part came off brilliantly.

Cherry Blossom: What did you think Duo? Heero?

Duo: ::making out with Heero:: Busy at the moment. Ask me later.

Heero: Mmph…

Cherry Blossom: O.o;; Oookay…review!


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